It’s necessary to have some form of transportation to get to and from work as well as to go out and run errands or meet up with friends. Decide what form of transportation you’ll be using then answer the questions below.
If you are buying a car…
Find a car that fits your budget. Use one of the websites below to do some research.
Carsense - Do a quick search by make and model or by other features in the search box.
Once you've selected the car, answer the following questions and record your answers on the spreadsheet.
What is the purchase price of the car you’d like to buy?
Find the total cost of the car (including interest) by multiplying the purchase price by 1.045. Then divide this total by 60 to find your monthly payments.
You'll also need to have insurance for the car. Get quotes from at least two sites for your exact car then chose the one that is the best deal. Record your monthly payment on your spreadsheet.
Cars need fuel to run so you'll need to estimate your gas costs at least to get to work and back. Follow the steps below then record your answer in your spreadsheet.
Estimate the amount of money you’ll be spending on gas per month. Figure out the distance between your apartment and your office/worksite using Google Maps. Multiply this number by 40 to find the total miles driven to and from work per month. Find the average mpg for the car you’ve selected and divide your total miles driven by the average mpg. Multiply this number by $2.50 to find the cost of gas for the month.
Example:
Distance to work: 15 miles
Average mpg: 20 mpg
(15*40)/20 = 30
30 * $2.50 = $75
If you are taking public transportation…
Find out which method of public transportation would be most convenient for you to use to get from home to work. This might mean taking more than one mode of transportation (ie. Taking the bus to catch the train). Once you’ve figured this out, find the monthly costs for each.
Visit Septa.org to find train/bus schedules and estimate costs for monthly travel to and from work.
It’s necessary to have some form of transportation to get to and from work as well as to go out and run errands or meet up with friends. Decide what form of transportation you’ll be using then answer the questions below.
If you are buying a car…
Find a car that fits your budget. Use one of the websites below to do some research.
Autotrader - Search for new and used cars.
Carsense - Do a quick search by make and model or by other features in the search box.
Once you've selected the car, answer the following questions and record your answers on the spreadsheet.
What is the purchase price of the car you’d like to buy?
Find the total cost of the car (including interest) by multiplying the purchase price by 1.045. Then divide this total by 60 to find your monthly payments.
You'll also need to have insurance for the car. Get quotes from at least two sites for your exact car then chose the one that is the best deal. Record your monthly payment on your spreadsheet.
Geico
Progressive
Cars need fuel to run so you'll need to estimate your gas costs at least to get to work and back. Follow the steps below then record your answer in your spreadsheet.
Estimate the amount of money you’ll be spending on gas per month. Figure out the distance between your apartment and your office/worksite using Google Maps. Multiply this number by 40 to find the total miles driven to and from work per month. Find the average mpg for the car you’ve selected and divide your total miles driven by the average mpg. Multiply this number by $2.50 to find the cost of gas for the month.
Example:
Distance to work: 15 miles
Average mpg: 20 mpg
(15*40)/20 = 30
30 * $2.50 = $75
If you are taking public transportation…
Find out which method of public transportation would be most convenient for you to use to get from home to work. This might mean taking more than one mode of transportation (ie. Taking the bus to catch the train). Once you’ve figured this out, find the monthly costs for each.
Visit Septa.org to find train/bus schedules and estimate costs for monthly travel to and from work.